Explanations of obedience

• What is the agentic state in the context of obedience?

  It is when people do not see themselves as responsible for their behavior and transfer responsibility to an authority figure.
• How does being in an agentic state affect a person's sense of responsibility?

  They feel less responsible for their actions as they are acting as an 'agent' for the authority figure.
• What is the opposite of the agentic state?

  The opposite is being in an 'autonomous state', where individuals are personally responsible and make their own decisions.
• What do individuals in an agentic state realize about their behavior?

  They realize their behavior is 'morally wrong' but feel powerless to disobey orders.
• What are 'binding factors' according to Milgram?

  They are variables that trap people in an agentic state, such as the awkwardness of withdrawal or denying damage to the victim.
• How did participants in Milgram's study demonstrate being in an agentic state?

  They allowed the experimenter to exercise control over their behavior.
• What indicated moral strain in Milgram's participants?

  Their distress at the situation indicated moral strain, a sign of being in an agentic state.
• What limitation does the agentic state explanation have regarding disobedience in Milgram's study?

  It cannot explain why some participants disobeyed when the situation was the same for all.
• What does research suggest about the agentic state and Nazi behavior?

  Research suggests that the agentic state does not explain the behavior of Nazis, as they acted destructively while in an autonomous state.
• What incident did Mandel describe that challenges the agentic state explanation?

  Mandel described a German police Battalion that obeyed orders to shoot civilians despite not having direct orders.
• What does Hofling et al's study reveal about the agentic shift?

  It shows that the agentic shift can only account for some situations of obedience, as nurses obeyed orders without showing anxiety.
• What implication does Hofling et al's study have for the agentic state explanation?

  It implies that the agentic state cannot explain the obedience of nurses who showed no moral strain.
• What is the legitimacy of authority in the context of obedience?

  It refers to how much power an authority figure has and how society is structured to function smoothly.
• Why do people obey authority figures?

  People obey because they trust authority figures or fear punishment.
• What factors can signify authority to individuals?

  Factors such as uniforms or titles can signify authority.
• How did participants in Milgram's study perceive the experimenter as a legitimate authority?

  They saw the experimenter as legitimate due to his lab coat.
• What happened to obedience when the experimenter's uniform was removed?

  Obedience decreased when the uniform was removed, indicating the significance of uniform in authority perception.
• How does legitimacy of authority account for cultural differences in obedience?

  It explains that in some cultures, authority is more accepted as legitimate than in others.
• What did Kilham and Mann's study reveal about obedience in Australia compared to Germany?

  They found that only 16% of participants in Australia obeyed, compared to 85% in Germany.
• What does Blass and Schmitt's study suggest about students' perceptions of authority?

  Students identified the experimenter as responsible for the harm to the learner, viewing him as a legitimate authority figure.
• What evidence supports the legitimacy of authority as an explanation of obedience?

  Bickman's study showed that 92% obeyed a request from a security guard, while only 49% obeyed a man dressed normally.
• What does the dispositional explanation of obedience relate to?

  It relates to personality characteristics that make someone more likely to obey.
• What characterizes the authoritarian personality type?

  It is characterized by hostility to lower-status individuals and excessive respect for higher-status individuals.
• What parenting style is associated with the development of an authoritarian personality?

  Overly harsh and strict parenting is associated with the development of an authoritarian personality.
• How is the authoritarian personality assessed?

  It is assessed using an "F scale" questionnaire designed to estimate unconscious attitudes towards different racial groups.
• How might Milgram's participants be linked to the authoritarian personality?

  Milgram's participants may have obeyed because they possessed the authoritarian personality type.
• What evidence supports the link between obedience and authoritarian personality?

  Elms and Milgram found that obedient participants scored higher on the F scale, indicating a link.
• What limitation exists regarding the authoritarian personality explanation in societal contexts?

  The authoritarian personality theory cannot explain obedience in entire societies, such as Nazi Germany.
• What do Milgram's variations suggest about situational factors in obedience?

  They suggest that situational factors may have a greater impact on obedience than personality traits.
• What issue arises from social desirability bias (SDB) in the F scale questionnaire?

  People may not answer truthfully due to the nature of some questions, affecting the accuracy of the F scale.
• How does SDB affect the internal validity of the F scale?

  It lowers the internal validity of the F scale as a measure of authoritarianism if responses are not truthful.